In a bright and cheerful kingdom, not too far from here, lived an Emperor who adored new clothes. He loved them more than parades, more than parties, and even more than ice cream! He had a different outfit for almost every hour of the day.

One sunny morning, two strangers arrived in the city. They weren't just any strangers; they called themselves master weavers. "Your Majesty," they announced with a bow, "we can weave the most beautiful, most magical cloth in the world! It's so special that it's invisible to anyone who is unfit for their job, or who is very, very silly."

The Emperor clapped his hands with glee. "Wonderful!" he cried. "If I wear clothes made from this cloth, I'll know who in my kingdom is wise and who is foolish. And I'll look absolutely splendid!" He gave the two weavers a big bag of gold and the finest silk threads to begin their work.

The two weavers set up two empty looms. They pretended to thread them, pretended to weave, and snipped at the air with their scissors. Click, clack, snip, snap went their tools, but there was nothing actually on the looms. They asked for more gold and more silk, which they secretly tucked away.

After a few days, the Emperor was curious. "I'll send my wise old Prime Minister to see how the cloth is coming along," he thought.

The Prime Minister went to the weavers' room. He blinked. He squinted. He saw... nothing at all on the looms! "Oh dear," he thought to himself. "Can it be that I am unfit for my job? Or am I silly? I mustn't let anyone know!" So, he said aloud, "Oh, it's magnificent! The colors, the patterns! Truly exquisite!" He listened carefully as the weavers described the imaginary colors and patterns, so he could repeat them to the Emperor.

The Emperor was pleased and sent another trusted official. The same thing happened. The official saw nothing but empty looms. Frightened of being thought silly or unfit, he too praised the non-existent cloth. "It's simply breathtaking, Your Majesty!" he reported.

Soon, everyone in the city was talking about the incredible, magical cloth.

Finally, the Emperor decided to see it for himself. With a crowd of his important officials (including the two who had already "seen" it), he went to the weavers' room. The two swindlers bowed low and pointed to the empty looms. "Isn't it splendid, Your Majesty? Such vibrant colors! Such a delicate design!"

The Emperor stared. He saw absolutely nothing. His heart thumped. "Am I silly? Am I not fit to be Emperor?" he worried. But he couldn't let anyone know. So, he declared, "It is truly beautiful! I am very pleased. I shall wear clothes made from this cloth for the grand parade tomorrow!"

All his officials, who also saw nothing, nodded and agreed. "Magnificent! Superb! Perfect for the parade!"

The night before the parade, the weavers pretended to work very hard. They cut the air with their scissors and sewed with needles that had no thread. In the morning, they announced, "Your Majesty, your new clothes are ready!"

They pretended to hold up trousers, a shirt, and a long, flowing robe. "They are as light as a spider's web," they said. "One might almost feel as if one is wearing nothing at all!"

"Indeed!" said all the officials, though they still saw nothing.

The Emperor took off his old clothes. The weavers pretended to dress him in the new ones, piece by piece. "How well they fit! How elegant!" everyone cried. The Emperor turned this way and that in front of the mirror, pretending to admire his new, invisible outfit.

Then, the grand parade began. The Emperor walked proudly under a beautiful canopy, and all the people in the streets and watching from their windows exclaimed, "Oh, the Emperor's new clothes are wonderful! What a beautiful robe! What a perfect fit!" No one wanted to admit they couldn't see anything, for fear of being thought silly or unfit for their jobs.

Suddenly, a little child in the crowd pointed and said, in a clear, loud voice, "But he isn't wearing anything at all!"

A hush fell over the crowd. Then someone whispered, "Listen to the innocent child! He isn't wearing anything!"
Soon, everyone was whispering, and then saying out loud, "He isn't wearing anything at all!"

The Emperor heard them. He shivered a little, not from cold, but because he suddenly felt very silly indeed. He knew they were right. But the parade had to go on! So, he held his head even higher and walked on, while his attendants carefully held up the train of the robe that wasn't there.

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